Milieu Specialist

Works collaboratively with members of the interdisciplinary care team, including nurses, therapists, psychiatrists, social workers, and others, to facilitate, organize, and implement a stable milieu structure and seamless operation of the unit.

Responsibilities

• Conduct daily safety and environmental rounds and communicate concerns to nursing and clinical leadership in real time to enable timely follow-up and resolution.
• Comply with regulatory and accreditation requirements, along with organizational policy.
• Check-in with nurse manager/charge nurse at start of shift to get direction on how to effectively assist on the assigned unit(s).
• Assess/reassess the units throughout each shift and work collaboratively with the interdisciplinary care team to implement safety best practices and interventions, especially during situations when a patient is in crisis or exhibiting challenging or medium to high-risk behaviors.
• Serve as Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT) member and assist in formal staff debriefings following codes.
• Participate and lead specific emergency situations (“codes”) occurring on the unit.
• Assist units with checking in patient belongings, visitation, admissions, discharges, and providing staffing coverage during coworkers’ breaks or absences (e.g., paid time off, leave of absence, etc.).
• Attend unit shift to shift report (daily).
• Assist nursing leadership in precepting Mental Health Technicians (MHTs).
• Provide ongoing staff/unit training on:
  • Milieu management
  • De-escalation techniques
  • Decision making matrix
  • Use of verbal communication techniques that are clear and calm
  • Responding to patient expressed problems/conditions in a professional manner that creates a sense of trust
  • Patient rounding observations
  • Searches of person, belongings (including belongings check-in), and environment
  • 1:1 patient monitoring
  • Group observation
• Demonstrate collaborative teamwork when assisting patients in crisis.
• Collaborate with staff and leadership to meet customer service and clinical quality outcomes.
• Conduct daily hand-off communication at the end of each shift that includes, at a minimum, the following:
  • Relevant information regarding patient behavioral plans, changes in patient behaviors, and/or observed patients’ behaviors while on a 1:1 (“line of sight”) or unit/peer restriction.
  • Relevant information regarding significant patient or staff incidents, including interventions attempted/successful, safety plans, or other clinical/operational changes impacting milieu management.
• Perform other miscellaneous duties as assigned.
• Promote a team atmosphere by treating individuals with respect and honesty and by using direct communication and active listening skills.
• Be open to change and actively support change.
• Be open to others’ ideas and points of view.
• Evaluate employees objectively and provide employees with periodic feedback.
• Promote department goals as well as the mission of the hospital.
• Communicate goals to fellow staff members.
• Maintain department policies and procedures.
• Include requirements and guidelines from external agencies (i.e., Joint Commission, State of Wisconsin).
• Maintain and/or communicate to appropriate party function backlog at a set time.
• Educate new staff regarding regulations or requirements of those functions that relate to their areas or departments, as directed.
• Demonstrate acceptance and training of student interns in the department, as directed.
• Participate in hospital committees, performance improvement team meetings, and team projects, as directed.
• Demonstrate punctuality and preparedness.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills.
• Demonstrate good organizational skills.
• Contribute in a positive, solution-focused manner.

Requirements

• Minimum of high school diploma required. Associate degree in social services, business, or healthcare related field preferred.
• Minimum of two (2) years' experience in the healthcare industry within a patient safety, patient relations, and/or risk management role accepted in lieu of college degree.
• Certification in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® (NCI) required within fourteen (14) days of hire. Maintenance of certification in good standing required indefinitely.
• Working knowledge of de-escalation and milieu management techniques.
• Working knowledge of patient incident reporting systems and customer service/service recovery principles.
• General knowledge of hospital clinical and operational practices and procedures to effectively educate and communicate regarding the same to both internal and external customers.
• Ability to provide ongoing training and education to all levels of staff with both competence and confidence.

Schedule

1.0PM, 40 hours per week, 3:00pm-11:30pm

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage for you and your family
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Employee share program
• Life/disability insurance
• Flex spending accounts
• Tuition reimbursement
• Health and wellness program
• Employee assistance program (EAP)